Overanalysis
by Scandalacious Intentions
Summary: He was sure of Black’s guilt, how could he come to any other conclusion? Yet, there was something very out of place; something he could not put his finger on but what did one forced puzzle piece matter?


**Disclaimer: Not mine; never has been and never will be. Remus Lupin on the other hand, I am saving up for ;)**

Sugar quills were probably his most embarrassing purchase so far this year. Remus Lupin had decided to buy himself a Christmas present, hence the reason why the cupboards of his desk were filled with sugary goods ranging from the Cadbury's Dairy Milk that his mother had sent him, to the chocolate frogs that were supposed to be for Harry's Anti-Dementor lessons.

He supposed that this was acceptable as long as no-one ever found out. It was almost certainly a mistake then, to be sitting in his office, marking first year essays with a sugar quill that he sucked the end of as he tried to decipher Romilda Vane's hurried scrawl during her last paragraph.

So absorbed was he in his marking that he failed to notice the shadow of Minerva McGonagall and a broomstick looming over the parchment, until the former cleared her throat.

Immediately, Lupin spat out the quill and attempted to regain his composure.

"Before you ask," he said in the manner of one who had been caught committing a crime worthy of Azkaban. "It's not mine."

McGonagall pursed her lips. "I wasn't going too although I am tempted to ask now, considering your consumption of it makes it technically theft."

Lupin smiled. "Alright, so it's mine; childish, I know." Looking to her left, his jaw dropped. "Good grief! Is that a Firebolt? Minerva, I feel terrible. To think I only got you a pair of socks."

McGonagall hit him with it in response. "Remus, would it be possible for you to take something just a little seriously?"

Lupin smiled. "My apologies," he said in a sincere tone with a glint in his eyes. "How can I help?"

McGonagall was slightly thrown by this. Her lips pursed and she sucked in a ragged breath. Heavens, this was awkward.

"Harry Potter received this as a present this morning."

Lupin frowned slightly. "It has nothing to do with me. I realise that I have somewhat allowed the teacher-student line to disappear miles behind me in relation to Harry, but I haven't quite crossed the line enough to start sending him gifts, Minerva."

McGonagall coughed. "Frankly Remus, it would be a relief if it had been you. I'm wondering if this could be from Black and his receiving such a gift was reported to me by a student who feels the same way. You're the person who knows him best, Remus. Would he send this?"

Lupin stood and took the broomstick from her. "It's very Black," he informed her. "It's expensive, it's new and above all, it appears to be a safe present. Considering Harry has just lost his broom, I imagine that Black would assume the child would be too grateful to be suspicious. It does seem very odd though."

"Well yes," agreed McGonagall. "I mean to say, how could he buy it? The whole world is on the lookout for him and even if he were to use a Polyjuice Potion, he would need ingredients and he would need a hair. Where would he get any of those things?"

Lupin, loathe to admit that he had several theories, simply shrugged. "Leave it with me and I'll take a look at it."

With a word of thanks and a swift nod of her head, McGonagall departed, her robes billowing behind her in a very Snape-like fashion. She was a woman on a mission, evidently.

A month later, the broom had been inspected and cleared by not only Lupin but Flitwick at Lupin's insistence, and also McGonagall who, somewhat disinclined to believe that the broom was not heavily cursed, had stripped it.

Although, the inspection and subsequent clearance of the broomstick had taken Lupin only a matter of days, he was relieved that it had been checked by several members of staff. Not only would this ensure Harry's safety but it would also mean that Snape could no longer question his loyalties. He was fairly sure that Severus would have sat in on his stripping down of the broomstick to make certain that Lupin himself was not cursing it in aid of Black, if he had had his way.

They had long since decided that Black having bought the broom was out of the question and a practical impossibility. McGonagall was under the impression that the broom had been bought for Potter by an admirer but the ever paranoid Lupin thought otherwise.

Hence why, when Minerva McGonagall returned to his office, carrying the broomstick, she found the Defence professor pacing the floor of his office, muttering to himself.

"The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black," he murmured, his eyes darting from right to left, realisation dawning. "Of course!"

McGonagall blinked. "Yes, Remus?"

Lupin smiled grimly. "House elf."

"I beg your pardon."

"Black's House elf would have been instructed to withdraw the money from Gringotts. After twelve years, his uncle's inheritance will have gained an awful lot of interest, don't you think? What's a couple of hundred, Merlin knows, perhaps thousands, of galleons when he's got a whole vault full of the things?"

There was wild look in his eyes now that McGonagall was almost wary of. His eyes were jet black with a deep emotion that she could not read. She supposed Lupin's feelings were deeper than anger, burning hatred would be more apt.

"And how could they accuse the House elf. He's not Black so they can't arrest him and he would have been forbidden to reveal Black's whereabouts so there would have been no point in questioning him. As long as he had the key, the Goblins would have handed him as much money as Black needed. He could have emptied the whole vault if he so wanted. Don't forget that House elves can apparate in and out of anywhere so even if he was held, he and the gold could be returned to Black in seconds and since he revealed himself as a true Black, why would the elf refuse to serve him? He wouldn't, would he? The only thing that truly baffles me is why Sirius would even consider doing something that would make his parents even in the slightest bit proud of him? Something doesn't add up."

McGonagall cleared her throat and Lupin immediately regained his usual composure. He smiled warmly at her, as though his previous thoughts had never been contemplated. He had even referred to his former friend by name. Whatever it was that had been troubling Lupin these past few weeks, revolved around the last of his friends.

"And it's clean?"

McGonagall nodded. "And since you requested it be returned to you, here it is."

Lupin thanked her and placed it on his desk. "I know Black. I know Black better than anyone and he is clever in a way that the rest of the normal population, would never even dream about. It's clean now and I don't think it will be for very long. I'm thinking he might let Harry out on it, become sure of it, and then do God knows what to it. He's broken into this castle before now and in comparison, the broom closet should not be too great a challenge."

And so, unbeknownst to Harry, Lupin toiled over the broomstick, placing several anti-curse charms on the Firebolt for a week, handing it to McGonagall as soon as he was sure that it was practically indestructible.

"May I ask exactly what you have done, Remus?" she asked, once again in his office, this time about to hand the broom over to her student.

Lupin sighed but smiled, obviously proud of his work. "Well, it's waterproof, it's fireproof, it's curse-proof. Frankly, I dare him to find a way to get through those charms."

McGonagall smiled. "I'm sure he'll be very grateful to you."

Lupin's eyes widened. "You mustn't say anything. Harry would never forgive me. He'll think I'm babying him. Besides, as indestructible as the broom may be, its rider is considerably less so. I think perhaps it's best not to tell him about those. It'll keep him on his guard and he's never needed to be more so than now."

McGonagall nodded and placed a hand on Lupin's shoulder. "And you must stop blaming yourself," she told him. "What Black did is not your fault. None of us thought him capable of what he did, Remus. This overanalysis must stop. You'll drive yourself mad before you see reason in the mind of Sirius Black."

She squeezed his shoulder slightly and hurriedly departed, broomstick in hand. In his anxiousness, Lupin had forgotten to tell her that Harry had a lesson with him on Thursday nights and would not be in the Common Room. He decided not to worry himself about such trivial matters; she would find him soon enough. Besides, he had enough on his plate for the time being.

He sat at his desk and frowned in concentration. Something was missing, that was for sure. A piece of the puzzle had been cut to fit the hole.

"Professor?"

"Ah, good evening Harry."

Lupin smiled. He could overanalyse later. It was decidedly odd he thought, that James' son was one of the few people who enabled him to forget Black when surely even the sight of him should have had the exact opposite effect.

And rather suddenly, his mind had run away with him and he was discussing the fate that awaited Black and debating his deserving such a cruel punishment.

He was sure of Black's guilt, how could he come to any other conclusion? Yet, there was something very out of place; something he could not put his finger on.

"Thank you," said Harry, getting to his feet.

What was he thinking? The boy was forced to hear his mother's death because of Black and he was attempting to rationalise. Investigating the events of that Halloween was hardly his priority.

It was all about the bigger picture. What did one forced puzzle piece matter?


End file.
